Enjoying the outdoors should be available to everyone and an organization that is active locally is doing just that. Disabled Outdoorsmen Utah, or DO Utah for short, offers events that are inclusive for people with disabilities. Mike Felice and Sidney Smith visited the KLCY studio this week to share what makes this organization special and how people can help support it. As Mike puts it, this organization takes the “dis” out of disability by giving participants the ability to enjoy the outdoors through hunting, fishing, and adventuring in ways that were previously not possible. As a double amputee with a very active outdoor lifestyle, Sidney Smith understands perfectly the empowering magic of this organization. “When I am outside hunting and fishing I’m not thinking about my everyday struggles,” shares Smith. “That’s what we want to teach others and we just have to do things differently.” One example they shared was of a friend in a wheelchair who was able to go ice fishing using a track action chair. He was able to drive around on the ice all day standing up in the track chair and having a great time. This year the organization is hosting over 20 hunts. They say the most empowering part is once participants get out there and realize they can do this, they forget everything and just enjoy the moment. Learn more about this amazing organization at DoUtah.org where you can make a donation, check out their swag, or get involved.
